Distal Femoral Epiphyses Ossification Center Diameter and Third Trimester Gestational Age in Iranian Population

Objective: The epiphyses ossification centers appear late in gestation, when traditional biometric measurements are the least accurate, and they can be useful in determining third trimester’s gestational age. To evaluate fetal distal femoral epiphysis (DFE) size in various ages of gestation and establish a reference chart for Iranian population. Materials & Methods: DFE diameter was measured in 1300 normal singleton pregnancies, between 28 and 40 weeks. Mean diameter in each week of gestation was evaluated. Results: The DFE is not visualized in 28 weeks’ gestation. It appeared in a small proportion of the fetuses (5%) as early as the 29th week. DFE was detectable by ultrasonography increased dramatically to 56% at 33 weeks’ reaching 94% at 36 weeks and 100% at 37 weeks gestation. Conclusion: Ultrasonographic visualization of the distal femoral epiphyses ossification center is a useful marker of fetal third trimester’s gestational age

A new fuzzy MCDA framework for make-or-buy decisions: A case study of aerospace industry

One of the primary managerial decisions for manufacturing units is to find out which activity must be outsourced. A good outsourcing decision is normally involved with different criteria such as opportunity costs, cost saving, etc. In this paper, we present a multi criteria decision-making method to find a suitable solution for outsourcing activities called preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE). The proposed model of this paper uses fuzzy numbers to determine the relative importance of different criteria and it is implemented for a real-world case study of aerospace industry

Online coupling of a catalytic continuous microflow reactor to mass spectrometry

Flow cell reactors used for catalyst development and applications are upcoming due to their small environmental and economic footprint. Online microflow reactor coupling with mass spectrometry (MS) opens new possibilities for monitoring catalyst performance and identifying reaction products in real time. This is demonstrated for the metabolic relevant dealkylation of lidocaine on catalytic gold micro-particles using regular liquid chromatography modules. Yields of up to 90% norlidocaine were realized under mild continuous flow conditions for up to 10 h (pH 7, 30 °C and 20 μL/min). Dissolved oxygen was shown to be a rate-limiting factor, since an inline oxygen generator allowed to increase the reactor capacity by one order of magnitude. Monitoring product time-response curve slopes after starting and ending a substrate feed, provided insights into the adsorption/desorption and conversion kinetics at the catalyst surface indicating the presence of strong adsorption sites that do not contribute substantially to substrate conversion

The Effect of Using Flipped Classrooms Based on Gamification in Developing Self-regulated Learning Skills and Educational Resilience among Third-intermediate Students in English Language

This research examined the effect of flipped classrooms based on gamification on developing self-regulated learning skills and educational resilience among students of intermediate schools in English language. The research sample included (90) students in the third intermediate grade who were selected from three schools in Jeddah, and they were distributed into three groups, with (30) students in each group. A quasi-experimental design was used to study the effect of using flipped classrooms based on gamification on self-regulated learning skills and educational resilience. The researcher developed a measure for self-regulated learning skills that included (28) phrases distributed over (4) axes, namely: goal setting, planning, monitoring, recitation and memorization, and requesting social assistance. An educational resilience scale was also developed consisting of (30) phrases distributed on (6) axes, namely: flexibility, facing challenges, personal competence, social support, and values. The research experiment was applied for two consecutive weeks in the second semester of the academic year 2021/2022. The research resulted in the development of a motivational design for the flipped classrooms based on (4) motivational elements, namely points, badges, levels, and leaderboards. The research recommended the need to expand the use of flipped classrooms based on gamification and to train teachers to use this strategy. Keywords: Flipped Classroom, Gamification, Self-regulated Learning Skills, Educational Resilience

Online coupling of a catalytic continuous microflow reactor to mass spectrometry

Flow cell reactors used for catalyst development and applications are upcoming due to their small environmental and economic footprint. Online microflow reactor coupling with mass spectrometry (MS) opens new possibilities for monitoring catalyst performance and identifying reaction products in real time. This is demonstrated for the metabolic relevant dealkylation of lidocaine on catalytic gold micro-particles using regular liquid chromatography modules. Yields of up to 90% norlidocaine were realized under mild continuous flow conditions for up to 10 h (pH 7, 30 °C and 20 μL/min). Dissolved oxygen was shown to be a rate-limiting factor, since an inline oxygen generator allowed to increase the reactor capacity by one order of magnitude. Monitoring product time-response curve slopes after starting and ending a substrate feed, provided insights into the adsorption/desorption and conversion kinetics at the catalyst surface indicating the presence of strong adsorption sites that do not contribute substantially to substrate conversion